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Google Play, Chromebooks, Gmail ... all these wonderful services start with (and require) a Google Account. And whether you're setting up a professional account to help field headhunters and job offers, or finally offloading one of your tweens to their own account, setting up a Google account is simple and quick, but there are a few tricks to it.
Let's open the door to the wonderful world...

Increase security and also speed up the login process in a few key apps
Though the Finger Scanner wasn't as big of a deal at the launch of the Galaxy Note 4 as it was when it debuted on the Galaxy S5, Samsung kept it around hiding within the home button ready to boost your phone's security. The swipe-style scanner may not be as convenient as what's available on some phones, but the way its...

Facebook changes a lot of things on us automatically, whether it's on the web or on your phone, and one of the more annoying "features" turned on automatically is auto-play videos. From Facebook's perspective auto-play videos seem great — videos are loaded in the background so they play instantly, and as you scroll through your timeline they catch your eye since they're playing without your...

There are a few reasons why you might want to factory reset your Nexus 6, reverting it back to its out-of-box condition. Maybe you've decided to sell your device. Perhaps you want to eliminate any problematic apps and start again from scratch. Whatever the reason, it's easy to clear out your apps, photos and other content and start again from scratch.

The battery is big enough for most, but you can always improve
The Galaxy Note 4's 3220 mAh battery is pretty large by today's standards, and gives the big phone solid battery life figures for most people. But counteracting that large battery are a powerful processor, bright QHD display and tons of software features, which can really chew into battery life depending on how you use the phone....

Transferring files is easy for most of us
Most of us reading here have a computer of some sort. Maybe it's at home and you use it to play games or to surf the Internet, or maybe it's at work and you do things that aren't nearly as fun as playing games and surfing the Internet. But if you do have a computer, chances are you'll want to copy some files between it and your Nexus 6.
While the...

Getting your Apple based music onto your Android device need not be a chore
If you've been a long time user of an iPod, iPhone or iPad there's a good chance that the majority of your digital music collection is tied up inside iTunes. If you're moving on to pastures new with an Android device in your hand you're going to want to be able to listen to your music. While there is no iTunes for...

Privacy and smartphones is something of a popular — and important! — topic, especially after the last few years of spying scandals and security breaches. It's often not clear how much data from your device is being collected, not just by your apps and by Google, but by the manufacturers. It's also often unclear just how to turn that off on your phone should you wish to not have your data being...

It seems that every time you set up a phone, the manufacturer wants you to not only log into Google, but register for their own system. Acer ID, Samsung account, LG Account — and Motorola ID, which we're prompted for on our lovely Moto X or Moto G.
So, just was is this Motorola ID used for, and do you really need to use it?
Let's find out together.

You've got the new phone, now we're going to show you how to get up and running
So, you just got a new Android smartphone — that's pretty exciting! But once the initial awe of this new gadget wears off, you realize you actually need to use that phone. For those of us who read (and write for) Android Central regularly a new phone isn't such a big deal, but if you've just received your first...

Take time to set up a few filters, and you'll enable a much better Google Now experience
As much as we'd love to condense all of our digital lives into just one email address, it just isn't feasible. And now with services like Google Now scanning our email inbox to surface relevant information — like shipped packages, upcoming flights, event reminders and the like — in other places, it's even...

Quick Android Wear screenshots are easy to do, all it takes is a few steps
While not the biggest deal ever, taking a screenshot on your Android Wear device has been a hassle since launch. That is until now, with the latest Lollipop and Android Wear app updates enabling remote screenshot capture of your Android Wear device on your connected phone.
It just takes a few steps, and you'll be...

After the shock of the Galaxy Note Edge's design wore off when it was announced, the questions as to how one would use this asymmetrical device started to surface. Having such a sharply curved edge on just one side of the phone introduces some interesting usability questions, particularly for people who hold the phone in their left hand. So what has Samsung done about it? Well, a quick dive...

Take a few easy steps to verify that the file you downloaded is the file you wanted
Having a Nexus means you're provided with factory restore images should you want to revert anything you might have done to the system software. It's a failsafe, and the easiest way to return everything to the way it's "supposed" to be. More than a few people with Nexus phones use them — both for their intended...

Take control of your home screens
One of the coolest things about Android is the way we, as users, can take control of core parts of the operating system and change them up. We've seen it with keyboards, messaging apps, and of course, the launcher itself.
There are some really great third-party launchers for Android. Apps like Nova Launcher or Action Launcher are extremely popular, and...

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